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Lidl_Reed

Wants a new name
Wow. So much wrong in just a few words. The 2008 midfield was far better for one.

It also wasn't right up there with the top midfields of the time either. Matic-Fabregas, Toure-Silva were far better.

Coquelin was just an inferior player to Matic and Toure in every single aspect. Cazorla was no slouch but there was a reason he couldn't get into Spain's midfield ahead of those two.
I'll give you 2008.

Matic-Fabregas and Toure-Fernandinho, you mean?

And even then, 3rd best in the league. Look at the rest of the positions, we were not top 3 in any other department

And my overall point was that it's not just about powerful athleticism, as City have shown
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
I'll give you 2008.

Matic-Fabregas and Toure-Fernandinho, you mean?

And even then, 3rd best in the league. Look at the rest of the positions, we were not top 3 in any other department

And my overall point was that it's not just about powerful athleticism, as City have shown

I would prefer Caz-Coq over Cesc-Flam...Cesc is obviously the best player there, but always felt Flam was too reckless back then, think Coq is a much better player positionally.
 

squallman

Still Pining for Wenger
I'll give you 2008.

Matic-Fabregas and Toure-Fernandinho, you mean?

And even then, 3rd best in the league. Look at the rest of the positions, we were not top 3 in any other department

And my overall point was that it's not just about powerful athleticism, as City have shown

Oh yeah I forgot about Fernandinho.

I get what you're saying but at the same time the way you said it, made me think that those two took us to a CL final or within single digits of winning a league title. When that isn't the case at all. I'm not saying Cazorla was awful or Coquelin was a league one player. I'm just not in love with, what was IMO, a flawed pairing.

To be fair 3rd best in the league isn't saying much at all for a club of our stature and resources. It is miles better than what we have now of course.
 

Lidl_Reed

Wants a new name
Oh yeah I forgot about Fernandinho.

I get what you're saying but at the same time the way you said it, made me think that those two took us to a CL final or within single digits of winning a league title. When that isn't the case at all. I'm not saying Cazorla was awful or Coquelin was a league one player. I'm just not in love with, what was IMO, a flawed pairing.

To be fair 3rd best in the league isn't saying much at all for a club of our stature and resources. It is miles better than what we have now of course.
I get you, man.

What annoyed me about that analysis was that Coquelin was a limited player that Wenger brought in as a change from his usual policy. Le Coq is the most un-Wenger like midfielder we've had in that period. Flamini had more to his game than just tackling, Coquelin did not. It wasn't arrogance, it was actually change.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
Oh yeah I forgot about Fernandinho.

I get what you're saying but at the same time the way you said it, made me think that those two took us to a CL final or within single digits of winning a league title. When that isn't the case at all. I'm not saying Cazorla was awful or Coquelin was a league one player. I'm just not in love with, what was IMO, a flawed pairing.

To be fair 3rd best in the league isn't saying much at all for a club of our stature and resources. It is miles better than what we have now of course.

When Ramsey played on the right and tucked in to cover Santi's lack of legs, we looked very good.
 

squallman

Still Pining for Wenger
When Ramsey played on the right and tucked in to cover Santi's lack of legs, we looked very good.

This was my main problem with that pairing. It couldn't even actually function as a proper midfield without Ramsey joining in to effectively make it a three man midfield.

If those two were really that great together, then that would not have been needed. The entire operation felt like Wenger was trying to put a plaster over a hole in the roof instead of buying a new roof.

Cazorla can't tackle and is getting outmuscled? Put Coquelin in there.

Coquelin can't pass or do anything other than tackle? Don't worry Cazorla can pass for both of them.

Cazorla can't run? Ramsey will tuck inside and give the midfield extra legs.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
This was my main problem with that pairing. It couldn't even actually function as a proper midfield without Ramsey joining in to effectively make it a three man midfield.

If those two were really that great together, then that would not have been needed. The entire operation felt like Wenger was trying to put a plaster over a hole in the roof instead of buying a new roof.

Cazorla can't tackle and is getting outmuscled? Put Coquelin in there.

Coquelin can't pass or do anything other than tackle? Don't worry Cazorla can pass for both of them.

Cazorla can't run? Ramsey will tuck inside and give the midfield extra legs.

A good team is supposed to compensate for each other's weaknesses.

We had an outstanding run in the calendar year of 2015, not saying it was perfect but I really enjoyed watching us back then...issue was a lack of depth really.
 

squallman

Still Pining for Wenger
A good team is supposed to compensate for each other's weaknesses.

We had an outstanding run in the calendar year of 2015, not saying it was perfect but I really enjoyed watching us back then...issue was a lack of depth really.

I look at it in a different way. A good team is supposed to complement each other's strengths. The problem with everyone covering each other's weaknesses, without a single complete player in the bunch is that instead of 3 midfielders we end up with 2.5 so to speak. It also makes it super easy for the opposition to screw us over. Coquelin can't pass? Lets man mark Cazorla and let Coquelin have the ball. He won't do anything with it. Now if Coquelin was a capable passer, that tactic would not work.

The other problem with the whole scenario is if X player is covering Y player's weaknesses when X is missing, the bottom falls out.
 

Makingtrax

Worships in the house of Wenger 🙏
Trusted ⭐

Country: England

Player:Saliba
Arteta has a worse record after his first 19 league games than the club's last four bosses

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We know this tells us absolutely nothing, zilch,zero, niets, nada.

Wenger gave us 20 years in a row of continuous top 4. Rioch and Emery couldn't manage 1 and Graham only 4 years in a row, giving us the honour of the last manager to see us mid table 25 years ago.

We can't judge Arteta yet as he still has Emery's poor start and transfer messes to deal with.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
We know this tells us absolutely nothing, zilch,zero, niets, nada.

Wenger gave us 20 years in a row of continuous top 4. Rioch and Emery couldn't manage 1 and Graham only 4 years in a row, giving us the honour of the last manager to see us mid table 25 years ago.

We can't judge Arteta yet as he still has Emery's poor start and transfer messes to deal with.

Graham also gave us 2 league titles, nurturing the defence that helped Arsène win his first...you don't have to downplay him to put Arsène over, appreciate what they both did, they both did great things for the club.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
Graham also gave us 2 league titles, nurturing the defence that helped Arsène win his first...you don't have to downplay him to put Arsène over, appreciate what they both did, they both did great things for the club.
What was the defence going before Wenger though? It was the midfield and attack that Wenger built which drove us to the double. The defence obviously was massive.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
What was the defence going before Wenger though? It was the midfield and attack that Wenger built which drove us to the double. The defence obviously was massive.

They were a bunch of players that just needed to be re-motivated, but the quality was always there...Arsène bringing in Vieira, Petit and the rest were key too.

That defence had basically won us 2 league titles, plus a European trophy against an amazing Parma team...that experience was the main factor, helped make Vieira the player he was too.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
They were a bunch of players that just needed to be re-motivated, but the quality was always there...Arsène bringing in Vieira, Petit and the rest were key too.

That defence had basically won us 2 league titles, plus a European trophy against an amazing Parma team...that experience was the main factor, helped make Vieira the player he was too.
Nobody is saying anything against that defence though, they were phenomenal, even though they never won the league for 6/7 years.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
I know what you are doing here ;)

Big Wengz last won the league 16 years ago, useless manager eh..........................
I don’t know what’s going on here, honestly. I’m just saying that defence was great, but Wenger added his spice to kick us on.

I’m an Arsenal fan, I love guys like Adams, Dixon etc more than most of the players that have played for us.
 

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